2015-06-01 - VT - Day 5 - White Mountains to East Thetford
The morning of Day 5 was the most miserable in recent memory. I woke up at 1:30 am, water dripping on my face through the roof of my tent. I returned to sleep and woke up again at 3:30 am with protein-deficiency headaches, having dreamed of sleeping under an open skylight with the rain pouring down on me. The reality was much worse. It was freezing cold (low 30's) and raining hard. The sun was nowhere near up yet; outside the tent it was pitch black. I laughed half in hysteria and half at myself for being in this situation. I struggled to walk to the bathroom to get ready for the day and hid there for a bit, drier and warmer. I returned to my tent, plugged headphones into my ears and went into survival mode with music playing. I felt much better after eating a protein bar and got everything packed up. Writing out my misery on a postcard for my best friend made it better too.
I set off with my group around 6 am and cycled seven miles up to the top of the Kanc in pouring rain. But if we thought that was bad, we were gravely mistaken. The ride down to Lincoln was thirteen miles of 9% downward slope and 35-degree freezing rain that pierced our skin with its icy touch. I came as close to hypothermia as I ever have in my life. My speech was slurred, I was shivering and shaking on my bike, and at certain points, I was gasping when I tried to breathe. Brian got a flat in town and started jogging with his bike. Reed and I rode onward to find a place to eat. It was a great relief to find a cafe called Fully Baked and Barely Brewed. Brian and the others in our group eventually joined us, including Andy who caught a ride halfway down the mountain in the lead van, and Catherine who came in slower and more safely. We stayed at the cafe for an hour before heading to the laundromat to dry our clothes. Half-naked, we stood for a long time pressing our butts against the warm dryer doors to the tune of paradise.
I set off with my group around 6 am and cycled seven miles up to the top of the Kanc in pouring rain. But if we thought that was bad, we were gravely mistaken. The ride down to Lincoln was thirteen miles of 9% downward slope and 35-degree freezing rain that pierced our skin with its icy touch. I came as close to hypothermia as I ever have in my life. My speech was slurred, I was shivering and shaking on my bike, and at certain points, I was gasping when I tried to breathe. Brian got a flat in town and started jogging with his bike. Reed and I rode onward to find a place to eat. It was a great relief to find a cafe called Fully Baked and Barely Brewed. Brian and the others in our group eventually joined us, including Andy who caught a ride halfway down the mountain in the lead van, and Catherine who came in slower and more safely. We stayed at the cafe for an hour before heading to the laundromat to dry our clothes. Half-naked, we stood for a long time pressing our butts against the warm dryer doors to the tune of paradise.
After crossing into our next state of Vermont and braving up a steep hill, we ended that day in East Thetford, with a whole entourage of people cheering us on and offering food. I remember the watermelon and endless hot chocolate. Meg, a person with MS in the town, has been helping the BikeTheUSForMS organization for years and had organized everything. Other townsfolk offered their homes as places for us to stay and shower. I also arrived right in time for the 6:30 yoga class. Although, I missed out on some of the food, it was an intermediate class focusing on legs and I just couldn't resist. I am so grateful for the entire town and Meg totally deserved the BikeTheUSForMS Diamond award for most amazing host.
After taking a shower at the home of friendly townsfolk, I returned to the building where we slept. The next day, we would ride into Middlebury, the location of our first rest day.
